Starlight
by InBetweentheKeys
Summary: He could really, properly see the sky; and the stars- the were beautiful. Absolutely, breath-takingly beautiful. He almost forgotten how they looked, had wondered during the final battle if he would ever see them again. And now he could. NevillexOC One-shot. UPDATED


**DISCLAIMER:**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER! I SWEARS!

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It hadn't been long since the fighting had stopped. Since Harry Potter had saved them all. Now, with all silent and no spells darting around, he could see the sky. He could really, properly see the sky; and the stars- the were beautiful. Absolutely, breath-takingly beautiful. He almost forgotten how they looked, had wondered during the final battle if he would ever see them again. And now he could. But Neville couldn't stand to just gaze at them from the blood-beaten ground; he needed a better look.

Without a word to anyone else, the brunet bolted up the stairs of the familiar castle- his home. Hogwarts. Or, at least... what was left of it. As expected, the astronomy tower was abandoned, and the one great window ahead called to him. Neville must have stood there for hours, just staring out into the brisk night air.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

The voice startled him, but not nearly so much as what- or who, exactly, it had come from. "Astrid..." he breathed out, walking toward the ghost of a girl who stood behind him. She had died in the war, long gone in the battle of the previous morning. Astrid Lovegood, Luna's younger sister. And he had fallen in love with her. But he could never make himself tell her. And now it would be even worse. She could never know, not because of his shyness, but because it would only make the pain worse. "Hello, Nev," she finally answered, managing a slight smile. "Now, don't do that."

Neville stared at her in shock, not able to believe what he was seeing. "How did you..." he started, but she shushed him. "It's not important... There are a lot of us walking around right this second," Astrid murmured, taking a step closer. He swallowed down his grief for a moment, noticing just how pale she looked as a ghost. "C-Can I...?" he trailed off. He extended his hand to her, reaching for her face. "You could... but-" His turn to shush her. His fingertips brushed against where her cheek should have been. Where he should have felt some sort of warmth. "I tried to tell you... You won't feel it, love," the blonde spoke softly. "But you will. Right?" he asked, unsure. Judging by her unconscious lean into his hand, she could.

Astrid looked at him after a moment through big green eyes and Neville started to remember just how she died. It had been his fault. It had been all his fault that she...

_~Earlier~_

_The battle had been raging for hours, no sign of Harry yet. It seemed that everyone was waiting for him; only him. But someone had to take charge. Someone had to be there at Hogwarts to fight for them while the Chosen One was still missing-in-action. War was every bit as nightmarish as Neville Longbottom could have imagined. But this- this was the last straw._

_"Neville, stay back! He just wants to-" "Silence!" She was being held at wand-point by what was probably the only woman he had ever come close to hating. His Astrid was caught, and he knew it was either him or Astrid. The brunet was not about to let her die. "What do you want, Bellatrix?!" he snapped. He was not going to lose someone else. Especially not to her. "Want? Why does it always have to be about wanting something?" she asked, mock-innocence dripping from her words. The young witch writhed under the Death Eater's grip, only to have the latter's wand pressed further into her throat. "Nev, leave me. Run!" the blonde pleaded, but he wasn't having it._

_"No! I'm not leaving anyone else, especially not you!" _

_"You have to, plea-"_

_That last word was choked at the end. "Who's it going to be, Longbottom? You or her?" Bellatrix Lestrange sneered. "Let her go," he warned, gripping his wand tighter. After seeing how well that worked, Neville decided to pocket his wand and hold his arms out. "Please, let her go. Don't you wanna finish us off?" he tried. "No, no! Neville, what are you doing?!" Astrid shrieked. "Quiet!" the elder snapped, kicking the teen off to the side. "Oh, I've waited for this," Bella exclaimed, her eyes full of child-like glee. Her wand aimed at his chest, those cursed words uttered just loud enough for Neville to hear. He had his eyes closed now, wanting not to see it coming. This was it... but the pain never came. _

_"Oops." Bellatrix Lestrange was gone by the time he opened his eyes. It took a moment for him to adjust to the dim light, but he honestly wished that he hadn't. "No..." he mumbled, cradling her falling form. She had taken it... She had taken that spell. "Why would you do that... You're so stupid," he was close to crying. So close. But he could grieve later.  
_

_~Present Time~_

"Sorry, love. I had to; you are so much more important."

Neville's thoughts broke when she said that. His hand had dropped back to his side by that time. "Don't give me that look, sweetheart. I died protecting my best friend. And I could never take that back," she continued. He tried not to look so sad, to reflect her smile- so full of love. But he wasn't.. would never be that good, that pure. He doubted he would ever even come close. "Listen, I've only got a few moments left, so you'll have to focus. Once my body's gone, once it's buried erase me. Take those memories of me away from everyone." "What?! But you can't-"

"No, I can't. And I know it's painful now, love, but I don't want people to hurt because of me... Not anymore. And especially not 'cos I went and died out there. So please, Nev. I know it doesn't actually fix much, but it's all I can do," she pleaded. Neville Longbottom finally gave in to her, though he wasn't about to actually do it. Was he? Wouldn't it be better to hold the good, even if it meant the bad would stay with it?

He remembered, right before he had carried her back to the castle. Somehow, she had only been grazed by the spell. No instant death- but he was determined that she would make it. She had to. She was slipping as he made his way back; she would be gone before they were even halfway. But the last thing she had said- those last words had stuck with him. _"Neville... I'm scared. I'm really, really scared..." _

"I'm really begging, please don't back out on this one," she sighed out, voice bringing him back to reality. After a quick nod from him, she began to fade away. Neville panicked, and determined that he would be courageous- just this once. "Astrid?" "Yeah?" He tried to force it, just those three words, but he chickened out. Again. "I'll see you again. One more time, at least. Promise," she smiled, almost gone now. "Wait! Astrid!" he tried again. She looked him straight in the eyes, listening. "You know that I-" he was interrupted. "Yeah. And... I do too." And then she was gone.

Over the next couple of days, after she had been buried, he had gone around and erased all memories of her. Once his work was finished elsewhere, Neville found himself over the mass grave of his fallen friends and classmates. He just stood there for what seemed ages, waiting for the right moment. The darkening after sunset struck him. The stars were barely poking out by that time. Starlight; Astrid would have liked it. A shaky breath rung through him before he reached for his wand. This was it, this _had to be_ it. Holding the tip of his wand to his temple, Neville prepared to alter his memory forever. He tightened his grip, about to cast the spell.

"You'll be alright, yeah?" That voice... He spun to see her, standing there. She took several steps toward him, just in front of him before she spoke again. "Thank you," her smile... He really wanted to remember that smile. He started to lax his grip on the wand before she placed her own hand over his. "Nev, you're strong. Brave. You can do this; you _have_ to do this," she spoke softly. Her opaque form shifted as she leaned up to kiss his cheek. He barely felt it, but it was enough. "Goodnight, love." And at that, she was gone, disappeared into her grave. For good, this time.

Neville clutched his wand once again, squeezing his eyes shut before whispering the word that had been plaguing him for the past couple of nights.

"Obliviate."

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**[A/N]** I had this thought a few days ago and couldn't resist it. Hope you guys like it! Special thanks to **BotheredOne7 **and I hope this explained some more for you! Thank you so much and I am so sorry that this was kind of rushed. I should've checked over it more thoroughly before posting it. Anywho, hopefully it is better now!

~Keys


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